4Ps beneficiaries to avail of PhilHealth benefits

By Jemin B. Guillermo

Friday 1st of June 2012

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, June 1 (PIA6) -- All the beneficiaries of government’s Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) will soon avail of all PhilHealth benefits.

Capiz Local Health Insurance Office Chief Joe Frederick Diaz disclosed that all PhilHealth members including 4P beneficiaries will soon be granted all the benefits of PhilHealth, even if said beneficiaries do not have with them their PhilHealth Identification (ID) cards.

He explained that the 4Ps Identification Card will be acceptable proof of entitlement to NHIP benefits in lieu of the Health Insurance Card or Member Data Record.

Diaz said that directive is based on the agency’s Circular No. 24, series of 2012, however, they are still waiting for the completion of the publication period.

He said that based on said directive, all 37,241 identified poor Capiceños who are 4Ps beneficiaries will also benefit from the NHIP.

Reports from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Office VI show that as of the first quarter of 2012, Capiz province had already a total of 37,241 4Ps beneficiaries coming from Roxas City and the 16 towns of the province.

The report further notes that from January to March this year, the national government was able to release P P135,740,200 for the target beneficiaries in Capiz who were identified through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction.

Diaz pointed out that in the said PhilHealth Circular, all the 4Ps beneficiaries, and their qualified dependents included in the list of poor households under the NHTP-PR of the DSWD shall be entitled to all NHIP benefits in all health care providers accredited or contracted by PhilHealth.

He stressed that under their program, all the beneficiaries will be entitled to primary care package benefits, all inpatient and outpatient care services benefits, and to the No Balance Billing Policy.

As of December 31 last year, PhilHealth –Capiz records showed the province has achieved a 90.36 percent enrolment in Capiz in the government’s insurance agency as a result of the accumulation of the national government–sponsored and LGU–sponsored PhilHealth members.(JCM/JBG-PIA 6, Capiz)